Disclaimer--If you see something you like just assume I don't own it, and you'll be fine. Conversation between Harry, Lockhart, and Ron is from CoS--no copyright infrigement is intended by this, and no money is being made. Please don't sue.
Author's Notes--For artistic purposes, this scene deviates slightly from the one described in CoS as well as the one in the second Harry Potter movie, however they remain essentially the same as it is the same event being described...I like to think of it as differing accounts from eyewitnesses. ;-)
For those of you who are wondering, this story will be concluding with chapter 40. However, I do intend to try my hand at Prisoner of Azkaban, Ginny style, and intend to post the first chapter of this story--"Ginny Weasley and the Specter of Atonement"--at the same time as the conclusion of this story. Please read it and let me know what you think!
Strawberries and Blueberries--I'm just happy to have FF.net back up and running again...and that the problem wasn't on my end! Here's the next installment. ;-)
ShadowRomantic--Thanks so much!! That really means a lot to me! :-D I'll try to keep it up.
EEDOE--*grins* You're right...I'll try to accept your praise with better confidence and grace. *winks* I'm glad you think I hit the mark the last time...somehow the scene just felt right to me. Ooh...a sequel to "Vanilla Whispers" would be awesome! I was hoping you would write one. Let me know when you post.! *hugs*
Bill--I was bouncing off the walls with crazy energy...do you think that's the sign of an unhealthy addiction? You are so completely on my wavelength--I'm amazed! *snickers* JK, of course, must be allowed to reign supreme, but I was actually quite impressed with the film rendition of the final scene, which I felt in some respects delivered the message more powerfully. Tom Riddle was one of those for me as well...missing Fawke's key skill did seem awfully messy of him. Another was definitely Harry's reaction to sharing a life-altering experience with Ginny...something he doesn't seem to quite register in the book. (But sometimes it does take a while.) You raise an interesting point about the title (as well as where to go from here), and its chameleon ability to be read several different ways is one of the reasons I love it...I definitely think all those readings should be allowed to apply in some capacity. Ginny's memory is certainly going to linger, and would easily allow many years to be tied together with a common thread. However, in keeping with the traditional HP format (and for the sake of reader convenience) I intend to treat each year as a story...if we run into to trouble with lack of material or interest later, maybe I'll reformat. After all, art is never static. *grins and winks* Anyway...I can't wait to read what you have to say next! ;-D *hugs*
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They sat gathering strength from each other for a while, neither of them was really sure how long, before Harry pulled himself to his feet and held out his hands to Ginny. "C'mon," he said gruffly, "let's get out of here."
"Do we have to? Ginny moaned. "I'm going to be expelled!"
Harry grimaced sympathetically, but he didn't stop walking down the corridor. He didn't let go of her hand, either. Ginny sighed and trudged after him. She knew she deserved it and she shouldn't be complaining...at least the school was safe...Thanks to Harry.
Something up ahead was making a bumping sound. Ginny hesitated, wondering if there was something in the Chamber they would have to deal with, but Harry sped up. "Ron! Ginny's okay! I've got her!"
Someone up ahead gave a strangled cheer. Ron.
Ginny didn't know whether she wanted to speed up or slow down. She couldn't wait to see her brother, but she didn't know how she was ever going to be able to face him. She didn't have time to decide. They came around a bend in the tunnel to see his face staring out at them from a hole in the wall twice the size of a quaffle.
"Ginny!" Ron thrust his arm through the hole and pulled her through. He didn't let go when her feet touched the floor, either, pulling her against him and holding her there in a steel-banded grip until she thought she might suffocate. Not that she really would have cared. "You're alive! I don't believe it!"
Ginny subsided gratefully into the corner as Ron stared at Fawkes."How-what-where did that bird come from?" Harry scrabbled awkwardly through the gap, as Ron was too distracted to offer his help. Ron turned back to say something to him, and stared. "How come you've got a sword?" He asked, his eyes reflecting the moonshine gleam hidden in the garnet sheath of blood. The hilt flashed, rubies throwing sparks of light. Ginny hadn't noticed them before.
She didn't really pay attention to them now. Harry was going to tell Ron everything...and then he'd wish she had been dead after all...Harry glanced at her, his eyes catching hers in a way that startled her. "I'll explain when we get out of here," he said shortly.
"But--"
"Later," Harry repeated, and Ginny felt a trickle of gratitude at him for postponing her fate. Again.
/My hero/, she thought, not entirely without sarcasm, but entirely with pleasure.
"Where's Lockhart?" Harry asked.
Ginny blinked. What did Lockhart have to do with anything?
"Back there," Ron said, looking as bemused as Ginny felt. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."
Lockhart was sitting at the very entrance of the pipe, humming.
"His memory's gone," Ron said cheerfully. "The Memory Charm backfired-hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are." Ginny nearly asked how that was different from normal, but couldn't through her tears. "I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."
Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all. "Hello, odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"
Ginny shuddered at the thought. Beside her, Harry bent to peer up the pipe into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "Have you thought about how we're going to get back up this?"
Ron shook his head, but Fawkes hovered in front of Harry, ruffling his long, bright feathers.
"He looks like he wants you to grab hold," Ron said in confusion. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there."
Ginny sincerely believed there wasn't anything that particular bird couldn't do. Harry must have felt the same, because he shook his head. "Fawkes isn't an ordinary bird. We've got to hold on to each other. Ron, grab my hand. Professor Lockhart--"
"He means you," Ron said sharply to the still-humming professor.
"You hold Ron's other hand and grab Fawkes' feathers."
Harry reached out to Ginny, wrapping an arm snuggly around her waist. He lowered his chin, looking down into her eyes as if searching for something. "Ready?"
She swallowed hard, and nodded. Hesitating, she threaded her arms around his neck. Harry didn't pull away. Instead, he nodded encouragingly. "Okay, Fawkes," he said, "let's go home."
An incredible lightness seemed to spread through them, and suddenly, they were flying. "Amazing," Lockhart shouted above them, "Amazing! This is just like magic!"
Ginny choked on a laugh.
Fawkes sat them down gently on the damp floor of Myrtle's bathroom. Ginny couldn't bring herself to look, but behind them, she could hear the sinks grind shut. Myrtle was goggling at them, the door of her stall ajar. "You're alive."
"There's no need to sound so disappointed," Harry said grimly, trying to clean his glasses on his equally grimy robes.
"Oh, well, I'd just been thinking. If you'd died, you would have been welcome to share my toilet," Myrtle crooned, blushing silver.
Whatever else she thought of her, Ginny had to admit Myrtle had good taste. Unfortunately...she also had a point. Harry could have died...
"Urgh," said Ron, apparently unaffected by such thoughts, "Harry, I think Myrtle's grown fond of you!" You've got competition, Ginny!"
Ginny tried not to choke on her indrawn breath.
Myrtle wasn't competition...there was no hope Harry would ever see her as anything but a foolish little girl now...she'd nearly destroyed the school she'd waited her whole life to come, she'd nearly gotten him killed...all because her diary told her to...
Ron was looking at her intently. He seemed to have gone slightly pale. Ginny tried to smile at him, but it only aggravated her tears. "Where now?" Ron asked anxiously.
Harry pointed in Fawkes' soft-glowing wake.
A moment later, they knocked on the door of Professor McGonagall's office and slipped inside.
Author's Notes--For artistic purposes, this scene deviates slightly from the one described in CoS as well as the one in the second Harry Potter movie, however they remain essentially the same as it is the same event being described...I like to think of it as differing accounts from eyewitnesses. ;-)
For those of you who are wondering, this story will be concluding with chapter 40. However, I do intend to try my hand at Prisoner of Azkaban, Ginny style, and intend to post the first chapter of this story--"Ginny Weasley and the Specter of Atonement"--at the same time as the conclusion of this story. Please read it and let me know what you think!
Strawberries and Blueberries--I'm just happy to have FF.net back up and running again...and that the problem wasn't on my end! Here's the next installment. ;-)
ShadowRomantic--Thanks so much!! That really means a lot to me! :-D I'll try to keep it up.
EEDOE--*grins* You're right...I'll try to accept your praise with better confidence and grace. *winks* I'm glad you think I hit the mark the last time...somehow the scene just felt right to me. Ooh...a sequel to "Vanilla Whispers" would be awesome! I was hoping you would write one. Let me know when you post.! *hugs*
Bill--I was bouncing off the walls with crazy energy...do you think that's the sign of an unhealthy addiction? You are so completely on my wavelength--I'm amazed! *snickers* JK, of course, must be allowed to reign supreme, but I was actually quite impressed with the film rendition of the final scene, which I felt in some respects delivered the message more powerfully. Tom Riddle was one of those for me as well...missing Fawke's key skill did seem awfully messy of him. Another was definitely Harry's reaction to sharing a life-altering experience with Ginny...something he doesn't seem to quite register in the book. (But sometimes it does take a while.) You raise an interesting point about the title (as well as where to go from here), and its chameleon ability to be read several different ways is one of the reasons I love it...I definitely think all those readings should be allowed to apply in some capacity. Ginny's memory is certainly going to linger, and would easily allow many years to be tied together with a common thread. However, in keeping with the traditional HP format (and for the sake of reader convenience) I intend to treat each year as a story...if we run into to trouble with lack of material or interest later, maybe I'll reformat. After all, art is never static. *grins and winks* Anyway...I can't wait to read what you have to say next! ;-D *hugs*
************************
They sat gathering strength from each other for a while, neither of them was really sure how long, before Harry pulled himself to his feet and held out his hands to Ginny. "C'mon," he said gruffly, "let's get out of here."
"Do we have to? Ginny moaned. "I'm going to be expelled!"
Harry grimaced sympathetically, but he didn't stop walking down the corridor. He didn't let go of her hand, either. Ginny sighed and trudged after him. She knew she deserved it and she shouldn't be complaining...at least the school was safe...Thanks to Harry.
Something up ahead was making a bumping sound. Ginny hesitated, wondering if there was something in the Chamber they would have to deal with, but Harry sped up. "Ron! Ginny's okay! I've got her!"
Someone up ahead gave a strangled cheer. Ron.
Ginny didn't know whether she wanted to speed up or slow down. She couldn't wait to see her brother, but she didn't know how she was ever going to be able to face him. She didn't have time to decide. They came around a bend in the tunnel to see his face staring out at them from a hole in the wall twice the size of a quaffle.
"Ginny!" Ron thrust his arm through the hole and pulled her through. He didn't let go when her feet touched the floor, either, pulling her against him and holding her there in a steel-banded grip until she thought she might suffocate. Not that she really would have cared. "You're alive! I don't believe it!"
Ginny subsided gratefully into the corner as Ron stared at Fawkes."How-what-where did that bird come from?" Harry scrabbled awkwardly through the gap, as Ron was too distracted to offer his help. Ron turned back to say something to him, and stared. "How come you've got a sword?" He asked, his eyes reflecting the moonshine gleam hidden in the garnet sheath of blood. The hilt flashed, rubies throwing sparks of light. Ginny hadn't noticed them before.
She didn't really pay attention to them now. Harry was going to tell Ron everything...and then he'd wish she had been dead after all...Harry glanced at her, his eyes catching hers in a way that startled her. "I'll explain when we get out of here," he said shortly.
"But--"
"Later," Harry repeated, and Ginny felt a trickle of gratitude at him for postponing her fate. Again.
/My hero/, she thought, not entirely without sarcasm, but entirely with pleasure.
"Where's Lockhart?" Harry asked.
Ginny blinked. What did Lockhart have to do with anything?
"Back there," Ron said, looking as bemused as Ginny felt. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."
Lockhart was sitting at the very entrance of the pipe, humming.
"His memory's gone," Ron said cheerfully. "The Memory Charm backfired-hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are." Ginny nearly asked how that was different from normal, but couldn't through her tears. "I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."
Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all. "Hello, odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"
Ginny shuddered at the thought. Beside her, Harry bent to peer up the pipe into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "Have you thought about how we're going to get back up this?"
Ron shook his head, but Fawkes hovered in front of Harry, ruffling his long, bright feathers.
"He looks like he wants you to grab hold," Ron said in confusion. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there."
Ginny sincerely believed there wasn't anything that particular bird couldn't do. Harry must have felt the same, because he shook his head. "Fawkes isn't an ordinary bird. We've got to hold on to each other. Ron, grab my hand. Professor Lockhart--"
"He means you," Ron said sharply to the still-humming professor.
"You hold Ron's other hand and grab Fawkes' feathers."
Harry reached out to Ginny, wrapping an arm snuggly around her waist. He lowered his chin, looking down into her eyes as if searching for something. "Ready?"
She swallowed hard, and nodded. Hesitating, she threaded her arms around his neck. Harry didn't pull away. Instead, he nodded encouragingly. "Okay, Fawkes," he said, "let's go home."
An incredible lightness seemed to spread through them, and suddenly, they were flying. "Amazing," Lockhart shouted above them, "Amazing! This is just like magic!"
Ginny choked on a laugh.
Fawkes sat them down gently on the damp floor of Myrtle's bathroom. Ginny couldn't bring herself to look, but behind them, she could hear the sinks grind shut. Myrtle was goggling at them, the door of her stall ajar. "You're alive."
"There's no need to sound so disappointed," Harry said grimly, trying to clean his glasses on his equally grimy robes.
"Oh, well, I'd just been thinking. If you'd died, you would have been welcome to share my toilet," Myrtle crooned, blushing silver.
Whatever else she thought of her, Ginny had to admit Myrtle had good taste. Unfortunately...she also had a point. Harry could have died...
"Urgh," said Ron, apparently unaffected by such thoughts, "Harry, I think Myrtle's grown fond of you!" You've got competition, Ginny!"
Ginny tried not to choke on her indrawn breath.
Myrtle wasn't competition...there was no hope Harry would ever see her as anything but a foolish little girl now...she'd nearly destroyed the school she'd waited her whole life to come, she'd nearly gotten him killed...all because her diary told her to...
Ron was looking at her intently. He seemed to have gone slightly pale. Ginny tried to smile at him, but it only aggravated her tears. "Where now?" Ron asked anxiously.
Harry pointed in Fawkes' soft-glowing wake.
A moment later, they knocked on the door of Professor McGonagall's office and slipped inside.
